Creamy White Chicken Chili

Recently, my workplace held a Chili and Soup contest. Honestly, I hadn't planned on participating because I'm not competitive in that way. I believe if my family enjoys what I cook, that's reward and recognition enough. However, when I learned there weren't many entries, I decided to contribute a crockpot of chili to the lineup. I wasn't focused on "winning"; I just wanted to ensure there was more variety, so the "table wouldn't be empty," so to speak.

Years ago I was introduced to "White Chicken Chili" and I absolutely loved it. I haven't made it at home for quite sometime as my husband doesn't care for chili, and its too much for just "me", but this contest provided the opportunity for me to make it again.

I promised some of my co-workers that I would bring in the recipe once I had "written" it down, so here is the recipe that won 1st place at this chili and soup cookoff.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded

6 cups chicken broth

3 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 cans of sweet corn (drained)

3 cans (7 oz) diced green chilies

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-3 packages (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano,

coriander, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir well, bring the mixture just to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes to blend the flavors.

Drain and rinse the beans. Set aside one cup of them, then blend that portion with ¼ cup of the soup broth until smooth. This step gives the chili its signature creamy texture.

Add the softened cream cheese, corn, whole beans, and the blended bean mixture to the pot. Stir until the cheese melts and everything is well combined. Let it simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the shredded chicken, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve hot with your favorite toppings like cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, and extra cilantro.

Notes:

This recipe yields a large crockpot full of chili. If that's too much, you can decrease the recipe by a third, or freeze any leftovers.